Growth and recession, prices and wages, trade and the yen.
Practise this list
From these 42 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list
Economic news runs on a small set of two-kanji words, and many of them come in opposites: 輸出 and 輸入, 需要 and 供給, 好景気 and 不景気. Two of them catch English speakers out. 円高, literally a “high yen”, means the yen is strong, so imports and holidays abroad get cheaper, and 円安 means the opposite. And there are three words for price: 値段 is the everyday one, 価格 the formal one on labels and in reports, and 物価 the level of prices in general.
The words
View
Noun (41)
経済the economy; economicsNounN3
経済のニュースには難しい言葉が多い。Economic news is full of difficult words.
景気state of the economy; business conditionsNounN2
最近、景気がよくなってきたと感じる人が増えている。More and more people feel that the economy has been picking up recently.
How business is going overall: 景気がいい, the economy is doing well.
好景気boom; good timesNounN2
好景気のころは、仕事を見つけるのが簡単だった。During the boom it was easy to find work.
不況recessionNounN2
不況のせいで、多くの店が閉まった。Many shops closed because of the recession.
不景気hard times; slumpNounN2
不景気になると、みんな財布のひもが固くなる。When times are hard, everyone tightens their purse strings.
More conversational than 不況, which is the word in the news.
低迷slump; stagnationNounN2
観光業は長い間低迷していた。Tourism had been in the doldrums for a long time.
Also a verb: 低迷する.
物価prices; cost of livingNounN2
東京は物価が高いと言われる。Tokyo is said to have a high cost of living.
Prices in general; the price of one thing is 値段 or 価格.
価格priceNounN2
野菜の価格は天気に左右される。Vegetable prices depend on the weather.
More formal than 値段; the word in reports and on labels.
インフレinflationNounN2
インフレが続くと、貯金の価値が下がる。If inflation continues, the value of savings falls.
デフレdeflationNounN2
デフレの時代には、物の値段がなかなか上がらなかった。In the years of deflation, prices hardly rose at all.
需要demandNounN2
夏はエアコンの需要が高まる。Demand for air conditioners rises in summer.
供給supplyNounN2
需要に供給が追いつかない。Supply cannot keep up with demand.
内需domestic demandNounN2
輸出だけでなく内需を増やすことも大切だ。It is important to raise domestic demand, not only exports.
Short for 国内需要.
消費者consumerNounN2
消費者は値段だけでなく安全性も気にしている。Consumers care about safety as well as price.
輸出exportNounN3
この町で作られた車は世界中に輸出されている。Cars made in this town are exported all over the world.
Also a verb: 輸出する.
輸入importNounN3
日本は小麦の多くを輸入に頼っている。Japan relies on imports for much of its wheat.
Also a verb: 輸入する.
貿易trade (between countries)NounN2
両国の貿易は年々拡大している。Trade between the two countries is growing year by year.
関税tariff; customs dutyNounN2
輸入品に高い関税がかけられた。High tariffs were imposed on imported goods.
円高strong yenNounN2
円高になると、海外旅行が安くなる。When the yen is strong, travelling abroad gets cheaper.
円安weak yenNounN2
円安で外国人の観光客が増えた。The weak yen has brought more foreign tourists.
成長growthNounN3
経済の成長が止まりつつある。Economic growth is coming to a halt.
Also growing up: 子供が成長する, a child grows up.
失業率unemployment rateNounN2
失業率が少し下がった。The unemployment rate has fallen slightly.
雇用employment; jobsNounN2
新しい工場は地域に雇用を生み出す。The new factory will create jobs in the area.
賃金wagesNounN2
物価は上がっているのに、賃金はなかなか上がらない。Prices are rising, but wages are hardly going up.
The economist’s word for pay; your own monthly pay is 給料.
人手不足labour shortageNounN2
介護の現場では人手不足が深刻だ。The shortage of staff in care work is serious.
所得incomeNounN2
所得が低い家庭には支援が必要だ。Low-income households need support.
The word on tax forms and in statistics; in conversation 収入.
税収tax revenueNounN2
景気がよくなれば、国の税収も増える。If the economy improves, the state’s tax revenue rises too.
財政public financesNounN2
国の財政は厳しい状況にある。The nation’s finances are in a difficult state.
国債government bondNounN2
政府は国債を発行してお金を集めている。The government raises money by issuing bonds.
資本capitalNounN2
その会社は海外の資本に買収された。The company was bought up by foreign capital.
競争competitionNounN3
コンビニ同士の競争が激しくなっている。Competition between convenience stores is getting fierce.
Also a verb: 競争する.
規制regulation; restrictionNounN2
政府は規制を緩める方針だ。The government plans to relax the regulations.
民営化privatisationNounN2
国の鉄道が民営化されて、サービスが変わった。When the national railway was privatised, the service changed.
補助金subsidy; grantNounN2
市から補助金が出たので、半分の費用で済んだ。The city paid a grant, so it only cost us half.
流通distribution (of goods)NounN2
流通の仕組みが変わり、商品が早く届くようになった。The distribution system has changed, and goods now arrive faster.
小売retailNounN2
小売店はネット通販との競争に苦しんでいる。Retail shops are struggling to compete with online shopping.
在庫stock; inventoryNounN2
その商品は今、在庫がありません。That item is out of stock at the moment.
下落fall (in price or value)NounN2
土地の価格が大きく下落した。Land prices fell sharply.
Also a verb: 下落する.
物価高high prices; rising cost of livingNounN2
物価高で、毎日の買い物が大変だ。With prices so high, the daily shopping is a struggle.
独占monopoly; having to oneselfNounN2
一つの会社が市場を独占するのはよくない。It is not good for one company to have the market to itself.
Also a verb: 独占する.
売り上げsales; takingsNounN3
今月は売り上げが増えました。Sales went up this month.
na-adjective (1)
好調going well; in good shapena-adjectiveN2
新しいゲーム機の売れ行きは好調だ。Sales of the new games console are going well.
